Tenn. district finds cash to put officers in schools

Jan. 7, 2013
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Williamson County (Tenn.) Sheriff Jeff Long supports placing officers in all county schools, but says having more guns in a school building could cause dangerous confusion when there is a police response to a shooting scenario. / Sanford Myers, The Tennessean

by Josh Adams, The Tennessean

by Josh Adams, The Tennessean

FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Long has talked with the superintendent of the county schools more than once in the past few years about putting police officers in every building, not just the high schools and middle schools.

They've been in agreement on the idea, but Long doesn't have the money in his budget, and his appeals for federal grants keep getting denied.

Then, 20 children and six teachers were killed last month in Newtown, Conn.

Very quickly, the sheriff, the superintendent and the county mayor decided to pay for the additional officers with local tax dollars, even if the money isn't in the budget. Their plan is to pull $2.5 million out of the county reserve fund.

"I don't want to alarm anybody, but we're not isolated, either," Long said of the potential school safety threat. He noted that on more than one occasion in the past few years, deputies have found students with guns.

How to achieve safer schools is a debate taking place nationwide, and a myriad of measures will be considered after Tennessee lawmakers reconvene Tuesday. Several say they have drafted legislation that would encourage school districts to place at least one armed police officer in every school and would allow teachers who have had special training to bring their personal handguns. A senator from Knoxville has promised to introduce a bill that could ask some principals and teachers to carry a weapon.

Measures that would bring more police officers into schools and allow teachers to be armed appear to be gaining momentum among Tennessee lawmakers in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Several Tennessee lawmakers say they have drafted legislation that would encourage school districts to place at least one armed police officer in every school and would allow teachers who have undergone special training to bring their personal handguns into schools.

The National Education Association and Professional Educators of Tennessee, the two largest trade groups for teachers in Tennessee, say they oppose allowing teachers to go armed. Gov. Bill Haslam and House Speaker Beth Harwell, both Republicans, also are expressing skepticism toward the prospect.

But the idea is being embraced in the state legislature. At least two bills are in the works that would let teachers carry guns, along with other measures meant to increase security in schools.

Some local officials also support the proposal. Mt. Juliet has reacted to potential changes to school gun laws in Tennessee with a resolution to waive all fees for Wilson County teachers who want to take the city's handgun training course.

"My suggestion is to allow more teachers to obtain conceal carry permits and (change the laws) to allow those to carry (a weapon) on school grounds," Mayor Ed Hagerty said. "Then you don't need an armed officer at every school."

In Williamson County, both the sheriff and Mike Looney, director of Williamson County Schools, expressed concern about asking anyone but a trained officer to have such a role. The sheriff acknowledged that by adding school resource officers, the county hopes not to be forced by state lawmakers to otherwise arm the schools.

Looney, a former Marine who used assault weapons during his service, said educators simply should not be shouldered with the job of killing an attacker.

"I will adamantly oppose the concept of arming teachers," Looney said. "I don't want to be confrontational, but I, frankly, think that's an absurd idea. They're not trained or prepared to make decisions on when to use deadly force.

"I'm also frustrated in the notion that teachers are supposed to do everything, including kill people. They're supposed to teach kids how to read and do mathematics."

Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, said he anticipates that several bills could be filed to try to bolster school security across the state. Whatever is proposed, Durham said, he would prefer school districts be given the option to participate.

Sheriff wants more details

Long said he wants more details on whatever proposals might come out of the General Assembly, but his gut reaction is that if there is to be more firepower, there must also be more training. Resource officers would have that training, he said.

Having multiple weapons in a building also poses another risk if police respond to an incident at a school.

"If we go in on a shooting, we're going to the threat, and the threat is the gun," Long said.

The legislature's recent inclination toward more permissive gun laws already has raised concerns in Williamson County. In 2009, county commissioners exercised an option to enforce a local ban when lawmakers adopted a bill allowing guns in parks. In 2010 the county made its ban permanent.

During that debate, the county school district said it would immediately end its use of the more than two dozen county parks if guns were permitted. Looney said he abhorred the concept of "pistols on playgrounds."

32 more hires

To put an officer in every public school in Williamson County, including the Franklin Special School District, means hiring 32 more people. County Mayor Rogers Anderson has candidly told commissioners considering his proposal that he isn't sure how these positions might be funded on an annual basis, if they're approved.

The mayor also acknowledged that law enforcement is only one component that might be considered. Expanded mental health services and tighter security controls at school buildings may also be part of the solution.

"If you all agree it's important, we have to figure out a way to fund it," Anderson told committee members last week.

The county's Budget Committee meets tonight to vote on whether to fund the hiring of additional officers. The full County Commission is scheduled to vote Jan. 14.